Meet DragonSkin™: The Ultimate Fireproof Communications Cable

Posted on March 24, 2020

DragonSkin is a world-first in public safety and mission-critical communications. This coaxial cable is the only in-building communications cable to survive 2 hours under fire conditions with no additional protection measures. Complete fire protection is built into the revolutionary DragonSkin design. No extensive wrapping, metal conduit, or fireproof enclosure is required.

DragonSkin cable continues to support cellular and public safety radio communications after it’s been exposed to temperatures up to 1000 °C (1832 °F) for two hours then suddenly cooled down with water from a fire hose.

Helping Our Industry During Challenging Times

Posted on March 24, 2020

In times like these, we need to come together to do our part. As a leading distributor that works in an essential critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Federal Government, Graybar is doing everything we can to support you and your business during the COVID-19 crisis. We know you need someone you can trust, which is why our business will continue to stay open and serve our customers through these challenging times. Our national footprint allows us to have a contingency plan to support customers in case any of our individual locations become impacted.

Save 20% on IWCE Registration with Safer Buildings Coalition 

Posted on February 21, 2020

The International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE) is North America's most valued Critical Communications event, taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada! And this year, IWCE and Safer Buildings Coalition have partnered to offer you a 20% discount on registration for this great show.

IWCE 2020 is coming up. Check out the SBC agenda

Posted on February 21, 2020

The 2020 Edition of IWCE — the International Wireless Communications Expo — is around the corner, and Safer Buildings Coalition will be back in Vegas March 30th-April 3rd. We’ll have a great program that includes the Safer Buildings Coalition Annual Reception, Dinner & Meeting, as well as lectures, panel discussions, social gatherings -- and a whole new look to our booth on the expo floor! Check out what we have in store this year.

Broward County BDA Committee Meeting on Monday, February 24th 

Posted on February 21, 2020 

The BDA Committee under the Broward County Board of Rules and Appeals will have its first meeting of 2020 on Monday, February 24th at 1:30pm.

Safer Buildings Coalition leadership will be in attendance for this important meeting to represent the interests of you, our members. The meeting is open to the public, so consider attending this event and make your voice be heard.

From the Chief’s Corner: A Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins With a Single Step...

Posted on February 21, 2020

I’m sure many of you have heard the ancient Chinese proverb “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” but have you ever really thought about its origin or actual meaning? Phrases associated with ancient China are often characterized as being the work of Confucius – almost by default. In reality, it’s easy for us to simply take things at face value and not truly understand the origin of writings or their accuracy.  

According to research, this one isn’t attributed to Confucius; it's actually credited to the Tao Te Ching, a classical Chinese Taoist text written between the 4th and 6th century by a renowned Chinese philosopher named Lao Tzu. In fact, the original text was said to be “A journey of a thousand li [a Chinese mile] starts beneath one's feet."

In the world of public safety in-building emergency responder communications enhancement systems we have begun a new journey as it relates to the standard that governs these critical systems. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has developed a consolidation plan to take over 100 Emergency Response and Responder Safety (ERRS) standards, guides, and recommended practices and consolidate them into almost 50 overarching standards.

Member Spotlight: T-Mobile

Posted on February 21, 2020

The February installment of the Safer Buildings Coalition Member Spotlight puts the focus on T-Mobile – the first wireless carrier to join SBC – why the carrier joined our organization, and how T-Mobile and the Safer Buildings Coalition can work together to improve in-building public safety.

Q: Why did T-Mobile join the Safer Buildings Coalition?
A: T-Mobile subscribes to a philosophy that is very consistent with the Safer Buildings Coalition mission: Our goal is to promote and deploy wireless technologies that make tenants and visitors more connected in large commercial and public buildings. Reliance on wireless is universal, and this often includes the dependence of public safety organizations on cellular networks connecting them to people in need. We know this because, according to the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), in many areas across America, 80 percent or more of 9-1-1 calls are made from wireless devices.

From the Chief’s Corner: The Process of Evolving...

Posted on January 20, 2020

Happy New Year to all of you. I hope you are excited about what’s ahead for us here at the Safer Buildings Coalition. It’s hard to believe that it’s already 2020 – it seems like 2019 went by in the blink of an eye.

As you grow older, one of the things you tend to think about more and more are memories. To add to our memory box this year we decided that instead of buying presents we would take the entire family on a cruise right after Christmas. I spend a lot of time in airplanes, so we decided that rather than fly, we would rent a 15-passenger van and drive to the cruise port in South Florida. Most excited about this 800-mile adventure we were about to embark on were my two grandkids who are 5 and 8. But following the initial excitement period, it didn’t take long before most of the folks in the van were asleep.

Member Spotlight: Airtower Networks - New Name, New CEO, Same Mission

Posted on January 20, 2020

The January 2020 Safer Buildings Coalition Members spotlight zooms in on Airtower Networks, formerly known as Wave Wireless. 

In December 2019, Wave Wireless officially changed its name to Airtower Networks. Earlier this month, the company appointed former ExteNet COO, Oliver Valente as its new CEO.

"The name change is a result of the success of our growth into new markets and the evolution of our rapidly-growing company. Our business has undergone a significant transformation in the last few years and the new name better reflects how our company is propelling today's 5G revolution and beyond," Founder & President Manny Dureja explains.

What Do Office Tenants Want? What Do Property Owners Need?

Posted on January 20, 2020
By John Foley, Managing Director, Safer Buildings Coalition

You hear it at conventions and on webinars, and you read it in articles: “Wireless Connectivity is ‘table stakes’ in today’s commercial real-estate environment.” So, what does this mean for tenants and property owners?

From a tenant’s perspective, wireless connectivity is typically assumed to mean Wi-Fi and Cellular service as these most readily support the devices tenants most commonly use. Is reliable wireless connectivity a “can’t live without” amenity today? Put simply: It Depends. 

Hospitality, healthcare, higher-ed, sports and entertainment venues, malls, and casinos still head the list of buildings with a high likelihood of providing enhanced wireless connectivity. But for many other building use cases ubiquitous wireless coverage may still be a way off.